Let Summer Begin :)

Hello everybody.

In honor of the newly weds and beginning of Summer activities in our garden we’re hosting the first BBQ of the season .

Actually my hubby is the one responsible of the BBQ, my part is making salads and side dishes,some of them that are basic each time like grilled tomatoes and hot peppers with garlic and yogurt with oregano and mints .

Today I’ll make few extra things Crab Salad and mixed vegetables with yogurt salad.

Ingredients and method:

Crab Salad:

* 1 pack frozen crab.

* mixed green leaves ( lettuce,parsley,mint,rocca)

* cherry tomatoes and mushrooms.

* mayonnaise ,lemon juice,balsamic vinegar,salt and pepper for dressing.

* mix chopped greens with tomatoes,add mushrooms and shredded crab on top.

* mix dressing components well then drizzle over salad.

Mixed Veggies Salad:

* Mixed vegetables boiled till tender: potatoes,beans,peas,carrots,corn,red beans.

* bunch of fresh dill.

* 2-3 cups of plain yogurt and 1 small creamed yogurt.

* salt and pepper.

* mix all veggies with yogurts,add chopped dill,salt and pepper.

As for the lovely part of the evening, chocolate fountain was set and ready early afternoon with a selection of tasty assorted chocolates melted on a water bath and various fruits and dips.

It was a great gathering ,wish everybody enjoyed Friday as we did 🙂

I will post more pictures later of the real yummy food 🙂

Eggs and Potatoes.

Hello everybody.

Great party last night,lovely bride and groom and guests,but high heels are torture ,don’t you agree with me ladies???

Too tired to cook today,plus we have a dear guest visiting from Beirut,so I’m kind of busy,but have to make something for lunch anyway. An easy light option is boiled or pouched eggs with boiled potatoes on the side and a big bowl of salad.

You simply boil potatoes till tender,slice them,add salt,pepper and olive oil then boil eggs,slice them beside potatoes, you can add chopped green onions on top if you like.

I do eggs in a special mold I bought long time ago from Cyprus, where you cook them on a water bath,so they’re more pouched than boiled.

I know this seems like a silly dish but it’ll do as long as hubby and kids don’t complain,will make it up to them this weekend 🙂

Chicory Salad (سلطه هندباء )

Hello everybody.
Chicory leaves (هندباء او علت ) are wild plants that grows in Spring time. It can be either cooked with onions and olive oil like mallow (خبيزه ) or eaten raw as a salad. Actually it’s a favorite dish this time if the year specially for my beloved uncle Ziad.♥.
*Simply chopp the leaves , wash them well cause they’re usually full of mud and dirt.
* Add some salt and rub it with the leaves. Squeeze them very well to remove bitter juice out.
* Chopp one green onion finely. Add salt , lemon juice and olive oil.
* Toss all ingredients together and serve either with pitta bread or as is.

Enjoy♡♥

White Beans.( فاصوليا بيضاء )

Hello everybody.

Came in the kitchen before going to bed last night to search pantry and fridge for lunch ideas. Found a small bag of white beans,, after approval from hubby and kids, soaked them in water and small spoon sodium bicarbonate. Took out a bag of meat cubes from the freezer to be defrosted in the morning.then off to bed.

This meal is usually cooked in winter so I guess I won’t buy another bag till next year.
Ingredients:
* 1 cup of white beans soaked in water and bicarbonate overnight.
* cubed veal or lamb meat.
* fresh tomato juice.
* 1 pack tomato paste.
* 1 chopped onion.
* 2-3 cloves garlic.
* 1 small spoon cumin powder.
* salt, pepper.

Method:
* in the pressure cooker or regular pan, heat a bit of oil then add meat cubes. Stir till brownish then add onions and crushed garlic.
* wash the beans then add them.
* add spices and salt.
* add tomato juice and paste till it covers all.
* cook for 30-40 minutes if in pressure cooker or 1-1 1/2 if in regular pan.
* be careful not to overcook beans or else they’ll be clotted or mashed.

I also made a delicious eggplant salad that I learned hiw to do it from a restaurant.
You need:
* 1 big eggplant cubed.
* small lettuce.
* 1 bunch rocca leaves.
* 2 cucumbers.
* 1 solid tomato.
* green onion.
* mixed colored peppers.
* lemon juice, tahini, yoghurt .
* sesame seeds, black seeds and some summaq for decoration.

Method:
* deep fry eggplants till golden and leave on paper towel.
* make tahini sauce by mixing 1 small spoon lemon juice, 1 big spoon tahini, salt and 2-3 spoons yoghurt.
* chop lettuce, rocca, cucumber, peppers, tomato and onion.
* before serving add eggplants then top with sauce and sprinkle sesame, black seeds and summaq on top.
* mix it right before eating.
* you can add croutons or fried bread cubes if you like.

Enjoy♡♥♡♥

Pasta dish for this week: lasagna

I noticed that all family members enjoy pasta of every kind and flavor…I myself , cooks a kind of pasta every week or 10 days.
Today I made lasagna…simple basic recipe..with white sauce..and minced meat with tomato sauce,,, I added some vegetables to the meat sauce..peas, carrots, sweet corn…this is optional of course.

A tip my best friend Sireen once told me is to add one tablespoon of flour to the tomato sauce mixture so as to thicken it.
I also added dried oregano and a big spoon pesto sauce……so yummyyyy.
I also made a basic salad with fresh green onions and mint leaves.

Of course nothing beats a cup of coffee after lunch with my best friend Rahoom

What to cook today?

day by day cooking ideas

salad

Let Summer Begin :)

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Eggs and Potatoes.

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Chicory Salad (سلطه هندباء )

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White Beans.( فاصوليا بيضاء )

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Pasta dish for this week: lasagna

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